419 scam: "John Walker"<mshields@medcol.mw> Dr. John Walker

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"419" Scam – Advance Fee / Fake Lottery Scam

The so-called "419" scam is a type of fraud dominated by criminals from Nigeria and other countries in Africa. Victims of the scam are promised a large amount of money, such as a lottery prize, inheritance, money sitting in some bank account, etc.

Victims never receive this non-existent fortune but are tricked into sending their money to the criminals, who remain anonymous. They hide their real identity and location by using fake names and fake postal addresses as well as communicating via anonymous free email accounts and mobile phones.

Keep in mind that scammers DO NOT use their real names when defrauding people.
The criminals either abuse names of real people or companies or invent names or addresses.
Any real people or companies mentioned below have NO CONNECTION to the scammers!

Read more about such scams here or in our 419 FAQ. Use the Scam-O-Matic to verify suspect emails.

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Some comments by the Scam-O-Matic about the following email:

This email uses a separate reply address that is different from the sender address. Spammers use this to get replies even when the original spam sending accounts have been shut down. Also, sometimes the sender addresses are legitimate looking but fake and only the reply address is actually an email account controlled by the scammers.
The following fake company names, fake addresses, non-existent institutions/documents or other details have appeared in scams before:
- "diplomatic delivery"
The following phrases in this message should put you on alert:
- "i will like you to " (a common phrase found in 419 scams)
- "a security company " (this will cost you money - be careful with upfront payments to anyone you only know through email, especially if they promise you a lot of money. NEVER send money by Western Union or MoneyGram to people you do not know personally - NO EXCEPTIONS! Instant wire transfer services are not meant to be used with strangers because they offer no protection against fraud. That is precisely why the criminals want you send money that way. )
- "the consignment" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk box" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "trunk boxes" (they want you to be blinded by the prospect of quick money, but the only money that ever changes hands in 419 scams is from you to the criminals)
- "i will advice you " (this email uses bad English)
- "diplomatic delivery" ("diplomats" who perform deliveries of cash or other valuables to you only exist in 419 scams)
This email message is a next of kin scam.

Fraud email example:

From: "John Walker" (may be fake)
Reply-To: <johnwalker11@ovi.com>
Date: Sat, 13 Oct 2012 16:45:21 -0000
Subject: Dr. John Walker

Dear ,

As new brand day has come, I give God all the glory and I return all the praises to him, where there is life, there is hope. No dream is gone until death cometh. I must confess that it is with great joy and enthusiasm that I am writing you this mail which I know and believe by faith that it must surely find you in good condition of health.

I am the director of a security company here in Lome the Capital city of Togo. Actually I do not know you before and I believe that it takes a day to know a reliable person man or woman that can work with me to achieve success in the venture I am about to entrust into your hands.

Some few years ago, Mr. Michael Flores a citizen of Philippines who was the physician (medical doctor) to former president of Libya Muammar Gaddafi who was assassinated by the rebels trying to take over power from him which was deposited with our security company by Mr. Michael Flores which he did not Libya with the support of the Nato and other world power.

However, since the death of the former president of Libya Muammar Gaddafi, we have not receive any communication from our client (Michael Flores) so as I discovered that it is most likely that the beneficiary of those trunks may have died alongside with his Boss, I then decided to use the scanning machine to scan the trunk to know what is actually in the trunk before I could then declare it to our company on its contents.

I discovered that the 2 heavy trunk boxes after scanning, contains huge dollar bills which from the size and the weight of the trunk boxes I am sure the bills in the trunk shall be US$20 Million to US$30.5Million in the trunks which is the reason of my contacting you now.

However, I need your assistance so as to enable me work with you so that I can position you as the next of kin for the depositor so that you can stand and claim the consignments or I can arrange for the shipment of the trunks to you through diplomatic delivery to any address you shall be given but if it can be possible, I will like you to come so that I can take the opportunity to know you and then you shall know me and for us to talk and agree on the ration for the sharing of the money in the trunk. But from my mind I feel that if you accept, we can share 60/40% but still need your comment on the sharing so that we can agree on that point.

Please bear in mind that as soon as you accepted to be my partner in this, I shall first send you the certificate of deposit, the agreement bond and the credential in which the deposit deposited before we received the deposit with a letter of introduction which I will then direct you how to send it so that our company will recognize you as the relative to the deposited which I will also advice you to write a claim of his death so as to enable I and you have total control over the trunks.

Please if you accept the business, kindly give me your full name, your address, your telephone and mobile so as to enable us move on. As soon as you send this information, I will immediately forward you the deposit covering documents and also send you an agreement which I will advice you to sign while I will also sign and send back to you to enable us respect our sharing agreement.

Thanks,

Dr. John Walker

Anti-fraud resources:

What can you do when you receive 419 spam